Starting 5/Rotation given CURRENT Roster? Is SCHEDULE Toughest in History? IOWA #16(USA Today)

[Franisdaman]

Fans pumping the brakes on expectations is overrated. Fans being all in with the program is underrated. There is joy to be experienced and I won't miss out.

There's only 2 kinds of seasons: going for it or rebuilding. We are going for it this season so I am ALL IN. Don't worry if Iowa doesn't meet my expectations, I can handle it.

It will be just like the Cubs a few years ago. 'Sure glad that they did it but I have to admit that I gave up on 'em.' NOT ME!!! At no point did I have anything but 100% confidence in victory.

I expect BIG BIG BIG things and it's gonna be SWEET when they happen!! But go ahead and not get excited, look for a 5th place showing and be glad when they outperform your expectations. Just don't tell me what to do!!

The AllHawkeyes Podcast interview with Fran......he said some really good things about CJ and Nunge accorcing to Suterman.....I have to find the time to listen to it...that might reduce some of the fears.

We will miss Cook and Moss, no doubt.

But I still think we have a good roster with 3 starters returning and veterans to fill in at the 4. Only question mark is the 2 but, again, CJF appears to be "the guy" and you can bring Connor or JoeT in at PG and move JBo to the 2 if needed.

We have a great noncon schedule and the 20 game conference schedule will be brutal, just like last year.

USA Today had us at #16 prior to the Moss announcement. I am hoping we are a Top 20 team most of the season, that we are battling for a B1G Championship and that we make some major noise in the Big Dance.

Remember: we were 1 point in regulation from advancing to the Sweet 16 last season.

 

[Franisdaman]

Patrick does have the skills to make a difference. If he makes the weight goals he has, he’ll play.

I wonder what the chances are that Patrick redshirts. Do we have enough depth if he does?

Here's the mix if he does redshirt:

JBo/Connor/JoeT
CJF
Weezy
Nunge/Pemsl/Till
Garza/Kreiner

 

[Franisdaman]

Baer will be the toughest to replace but, with the 5 redshirts/injury returners and new kids, and with who Iowa has coming back, they have a chance to be very good again this year.

agreed

 

[Franisdaman]

We have a tremendous core of Bohannon, Garza and Wieskamp returning. We have solid returning experience with Connor, Kriener, Nunge & Pemsl. We have some promising unknowns with Patrick, Fredrick and Toussaint. Time will tell. I'm excited with the potential.

me too!

and I hope USA Today keeps us in their Top 20 as a result

 

[Franisdaman]

During the Wed May 8 1460 KXnO HawkCentral radio show, there were these predictions on Iowa's Starting 5:

Ross Peterson (KXNO Radio)
Connor
JBo
Weezy
Pemsl
Garza

Chad Leistikow (HawkCentral/Des Moines Register)
JBo
CJF
Weezy
Nunge/Pemsl/Kriener (take your pick)
Garza

Mark Emmert (HawkCentral/Des Moines Register)
Connor
JBo
Weezy
Nunge
Garza

LINK: https://soundcloud.com/hawk-central-hour

--See the podcast where they talk to OC Brian Ferentz; the predictions occur at the 41 minute mark.

 

[Franisdaman]

I am really excited for the upcoming season for several reasons. While I wouldn’t say that I am glad Cook and Moss are gone, I’m glad to not have to sit around and wait for them to become consistent, dominating players I’d always hoped for.

We have good options at the #4 spot to take over for Cook. Pemsl brings attitude and IMHO, he was the difference in winning the Iowa State game last year. If Nunge is as good as Fran says he is, he could dominate with his inside/outside ability.

I am excited to see Joe T, CJ and PMac play also. Joe is the guard we have been waiting for for years. If he’s a true knee buckler and can get into the lane, our shooters are going to have TONS of open 3’s. I like what he potentially brings on the defensive end too. If PMac doesn’t redshirt, we have a solid rotation with ten good players.

Connor/Joe T
JBo/CJF
Wieskamp/PMac
Nunge/Pemsl
Garza/Kriener

We have a lot of versatility with these guys. We can go big and we could also handle a team that goes small with four guards also.

Joe T
JBo
Connor/PMac
Wieskamp
Pemsl/Nunge

We will need to start the season sharp because the schedule will be a serious grind. I’m just hoping for a shot at the NCAA Tourney and a good shot with our 2020 recruits.

I am excited, too. Just because we lost Moss does not necessarily mean we are not a Top 20 team (we were #16 before Moss' departure).

There are a lot of starting 5/rotation guesses out there. Fran definitely has some nice pieces (11, when you include Till) to work with. We just can't afford injuries.

 

[Franisdaman]

I will be surprised and disappointed if we don't make the tournament. I think our record will be very similar to last year.

Even though our schedule is tougher this year? Fran says it will be the toughest in history.

 

[SeattleHawki]

Without Cook and Moss, can someone please take a shot at ranking athleticism?

 

[CanadaHawk]

I wonder what the chances are that Patrick redshirts. Do we have enough depth if he does?

Here's the mix if he does redshirt:

JBo/Connor/JoeT
CJF
Weezy
Nunge/Pemsl/Till
Garza/Kreiner

Patrick probably will play because he’s motivated to play with his brother, which could be a limited window. But some weight gain is a necessity and he’s said in interview that he knows that. Without Patrick, JW plays even bigger minutes with Till, CJ, Connor backing.

In any case, I think we play to even more of a passing offense without Cook, starting 2 PGs.

 

[Franisdaman]

From Hawkcentral.com:

Who will replace Moss’ shooting-guard role next season?

Although Cook’s departure was expected, Iowa has available power-forward bodies in Cordell Pemsl, Ryan Kriener and Jack Nunge to replace him.

The loss of an athletic, 6-foot-5 wing player, however, leaves a bigger mark.

Moss was a 96-game starter at shooting guard and made 39% of his career 3-pointers.

As a solution, McCaffery echoed a name I’ve heard a lot of buzz about: CJ Fredrick. The 6-foot-3 native of Covington, Kentucky, was impressing coaches behind the scenes while redshirting as a freshman. Even if Moss had stayed, Fredrick likely would’ve cut into those minutes.

McCaffery (on Fredrick): “He’s complete. He can play the point, he can play the 2, he can come off screens, he can shoot 3s. He’s quick, and he’s a really good athlete. He can guard. He can get to the rim and finish. He can score in a bundle. He gives it up easy. Those guys are hard to find, guys that can really score."

Link to FULL Story: https://www.hawkcentral.com/story/s...kamp-john-beilein-ncaa-tournament/3665911002/

 

[Franisdaman]

Patrick probably will play because he’s motivated to play with his brother, which could be a limited window. But some weight gain is a necessity and he’s said in interview that he knows that. Without Patrick, JW plays even bigger minutes with Till, CJ, Connor backing.

In any case, I think we play to even more of a passing offense without Cook, starting 2 PGs.

I wonder if part of the reason Till got the schollie was because Fran anticipates playing him more & redshirting Patrick?

 

[Franisdaman]

Nunge and Garza together, Pemsl and RK together. That gives two sets of guys with low post ability and a reasonable shooter.
CJ, Weez and Jordan raining from outside.
Weez can drive so if CJ can drive as well in occasions they will be tough.
If Joe has the D people talk about it will be fun to see him torment the PG while giving Jordan a blow. Tenderize the opponent a bit for him. CM can backup either spot and if he preps a bit on shooting there wont be a drop off.

so, who is your starting 5?

who else would be part of Fran's rotation? will he keep it at 8 or 9?

What I find interesting is the positions we lost vs the positions we gained:

* we lose 2 forwards & 2 guards who played last year: Cook, Baer, Moss, Dailey

* we add 3 forwards & 2 guards who did not play (I include Pemsl) last year: Nunge, Pemsl, PMac. JoeT, CJF

 

[Hawk-Fran1]

Starting Five

JoBo
CJF
JW
Garza
Nunge

Rotation
CMaC
Kriener
CP
JT

PMaC redshirts

Till plays spot minutes for defense and Hustle.

Their is my 10.

 

[Franisdaman]

Starting Five

JoBo
CJF
JW
Garza
Nunge

Rotation
CMaC
Kriener
CP
JT

PMaC redshirts

Till plays spot minutes for defense and Hustle.

Their is my 10.

And 9, and no more than 10 is enough.

no one can get injured, though

 

[Franisdaman]

It appears Joe Lunardi of ESPN thinks Iowa is:

* a Top 25 team in the Country
* a Top 4 or 5 team in the B1G

This is his May 16 Bracketology, where only Mich State, Maryland and Purdue have a higher projected NCAA Tournament seed than IOWA.

He has 9 B1G teams making the Big Dance.

Midwest
01 Michigan State
10 Wisconsin

West (North Carolina is the 1 seed)
08 Minnesota
04 Maryland
11 Penn State
07 Michigan

East (Duke is the 1 Seed)
06 IOWA

South (Kentucky is the 1 Seed)
05 Purdue
06 Ohio State

 

[CanadaHawk]

I wonder if part of the reason Till got the schollie was because Fran anticipates playing him more & redshirting Patrick?

I think Till gives another SF option. Patrick backing JW at his target weight is the ideal situation. I’d like Connor to see time there too. But JW going over 30min is a certainty anyway. So outside of big/small lineups, SF pretty much covered by him.

 

[Franisdaman]

I think Till gives another SF option. Patrick backing JW at his target weight is the ideal situation. I’d like Connor to see time there too. But JW going over 30min is a certainty anyway. So outside of big/small lineups, SF pretty much covered by him.

yeah it would be nice if PMac could play.

i just hope CJF is as good as advertised.

are we still a top 20 team without Moss? as i said above, Lunardi thinks we are a Top 25 team in the country and a top 4 or 5 team in the B1G.

are we worrying when we shouldn't be?

 

[Franisdaman]

I really like reading that CJF and Nunge have made big strides. We are going to need both of those guys next year to play significant minutes. Sounds like they will be up to the task. I also think Pemsl is going to surprise this season.

For the record, as you will see in the orig post from March 24 (almost 2 months ago), Fran said this about CJF & Nunge:

“Jack Nunge, 6-11, 250. He’s playing the best basketball of his career. He’s been dominant in practice. C.J. Fredrick is terrific. Gives us a quick, penetrating scoring guard who can play both spots. We have two really good recruits coming in [PMac and JoeT].”


Then on Saturday (post 250 above), I posted this:

From Hawkcentral.com:

Who will replace Moss’ shooting-guard role next season?

Although Cook’s departure was expected, Iowa has available power-forward bodies in Cordell Pemsl, Ryan Kriener and Jack Nunge to replace him.

The loss of an athletic, 6-foot-5 wing player, however, leaves a bigger mark.

Moss was a 96-game starter at shooting guard and made 39% of his career 3-pointers.

As a solution, McCaffery echoed a name I’ve heard a lot of buzz about: CJ Fredrick. The 6-foot-3 native of Covington, Kentucky, was impressing coaches behind the scenes while redshirting as a freshman. Even if Moss had stayed, Fredrick likely would’ve cut into those minutes.

McCaffery (on Fredrick): “He’s complete. He can play the point, he can play the 2, he can come off screens, he can shoot 3s. He’s quick, and he’s a really good athlete. He can guard. He can get to the rim and finish. He can score in a bundle. He gives it up easy. Those guys are hard to find, guys that can really score."

Link to FULL Story: https://www.hawkcentral.com/story/s...kamp-john-beilein-ncaa-tournament/3665911002/

 

[Franisdaman]

I will be surprised if Fran adds anybody else for this upcoming season. You don't want to bring someone in if they aren't better than what you already have. Fran has 10 solid pieces which should be plenty barring significant injuries. The transfers can see what Iowa has coming back and coming in and probably don't see a lot of playing time available.

I think you are correct in that the roster is set in stone for 2019-2020. I think that's why Till got a scholarship, which brought the total players on scholarship to 11.

I believe by not using the 2 schollies the program is saving close to $100,000 for the year (assuming the 2 scholarships not being used would have been used on out of state recruits).

Everyone bitches that Fran plays too many people. Well, this upcoming season he still might be playing 9 or 10!

And like you said, we better hope we don't get hit by the injury bug where a starting player (especially JBo, Weezy, Garza) is out for extended time.

 

[CanadaHawk]

yeah it would be nice if PMac could play.

i just hope CJF is as good as advertised.

are we still a top 20 team without Moss? as i said above, Lunardi thinks we are a Top 25 team in the country and a top 4 or 5 team in the B1G.

are we worrying when we shouldn't be?

With the loss of Moss, the big thing we need from CJ is shooting in games; being a former PG, you’d think his handle would be pretty good at SG. I’m more worried about the loss of Baer. There’s no replacement- but I was hoping Patrick might soften the blow.

Right now, we’re looking like a 3-pronged offense with JW, Garza, JB. This could be a good thing if others can fill in the gaps. Stats say Nunge was a better shot blocker as a frosh than TC, LG, or RK were this season. JoeT certainly has the potential to be a better perimeter defender than Moss. CJ has shooter’s rep. Patrick’s a 4*SF.
There are questions just like with any team. The answers just have to produce.

 

[amahawk]

The football team isn't any whiter than say Wisconsin or Northwestern. You have to look at where Iowa is getting the majority of its players from. The midwest and especially Iowa. If the University was in say Alabama, the makeup of the roster would look a lot different.

Same with the basketball team. look at the amount of Iowans on it this past year. Bohannon, Baer, Wieskamp, Kriener, Connor, the walk ons.

 

[mazda1]

Joe T, CJ, Joe W, Kriener, and Garza. I’d guess we’ll see more shooters minutes at the 4.

 

[Franisdaman]

With the loss of Moss, the big thing we need from CJ is shooting in games; being a former PG, you’d think his handle would be pretty good at SG. I’m more worried about the loss of Baer. There’s no replacement- but I was hoping Patrick might soften the blow.

Right now, we’re looking like a 3-pronged offense with JW, Garza, JB. This could be a good thing if others can fill in the gaps. Stats say Nunge was a better shot blocker as a frosh than TC, LG, or RK were this season. JoeT certainly has the potential to be a better perimeter defender than Moss. CJ has shooter’s rep. Patrick’s a 4*SF.
There are questions just like with any team. The answers just have to produce.

Crap! Remember how we talked about this team not being able to afford injuries?

Today's news regarding Bohannon does not look good.

To start the season it looks like we will be missing 4 (JBo, Moss, Cook, Baer) of our top 6 guys from last season.

The hits keep coming. How many more can we take?

 

[Hawk-Fran1]

Who starts now?

 

[PHXIowaClub]

G Toussaint
G Fredrick
F Wieskamp
F Nunge
C Garza

 

[Franisdaman]

Who starts now?

Are we now down to an 8 man rotation?

A Breakdown of the 11 scholarship players:

Starting 5
JoeT
CJF
Weezy
Nunge
Garza

Off the bench:
Connor
Pemsl
Kriener

Last Resort off the bench
Till

Redshirt?
PMac (to add weight)
JBo (hip surgery / medical)

Yikes, we need some guards or Austin Ash will have to play!

And speaking of redshirting, it looks like it for JBo based on this tweet:

 

[L. Wade Childress]

If Moss (or any player for that matter) acted like Fran on the court, all of you would be begging for him to transfer. Fran's antics are a disgrace and I'm willing to bet that his outbursts are not limited to just refs. Some people don't like to be coached like that.

Go away

 

[Hawksfor3]

Happy that you have Till in there. He might surprise.

 

[L. Wade Childress]

Without Cook and Moss, can someone please take a shot at ranking athleticism?

Considering moss only made wide open threes, what does it matter? Supposedly athleticism didn’t translate to anything else.

 

[Franisdaman]

Happy that you have Till in there. He might surprise.

I am happy you were not offended that I have him in the "last resort" category. and when i talk resort, I am not talking Cancun!

 

[Hawksfor3]

I am happy you were not offended that I have him in the "last resort" category. and when i talk resort, I am not talking Cancun!

Not at all! Being on scholorship now will bring out the best (beast?) in him much like Nicholas, I believe!

 

[unoHawkeye]

Are we now down to an 8 man rotation?

A Breakdown of the 11 scholarship players:

Starting 5
JoeT
CJF
Weezy
Nunge
Garza

Off the bench:
Connor
Pemsl
Kriener

Last Resort off the bench
Till

Redshirt?
PMac (to add weight)
JBo (hip surgery / medical)

Yikes, we need some guards or Austin Ash will have to play!

I just don’t see how they will be able to redshirt Pat. Especially true if JB is out, since he won’t be able to slide over to the 2, meaning JW will probably have to log minutes there.

 

[Franisdaman]

I just don’t see how they will be able to redshirt Pat. Especially true if JB is out, since he won’t be able to slide over to the 2, meaning JW will probably have to log minutes there.

I just hope PMac is ready to play weight wise.

Are we in the mix with any guard grad transfers? we might need one!

 

[hawkeyeguy69]

I just hope PMac is ready to play weight wise.

Are we in the mix with any guard grad transfers? we might need one!

View embedded media

PMac won't have the needed weight. Fran all but said that he wouldn't. And we don't need him. We NEED GUARDS. And that was before JBo...

Sad situation here for us Hawks. Although Fran has been aware of this. So, Hopefully he has a couple of transfers on the line reeling them in! Fingers crossed.

 

[Hawk-Fran1]

I predict CMac starts at the one he got a lot of experience is a way better shooter than he showed in his first year as his focus was setting up Weezy, JoBo,IM.......and the post players. He can easily get 8-10 a night.

 

[Hawksfor3]

I just hope PMac is ready to play weight wise.

Are we in the mix with any guard grad transfers? we might need one!

View embedded media

"Maybe still a grad transfer." Sounds good, given Jordan's potential absence. As Fran has said in an interview, he will have a "vision" for a particular player and if that player is in accordance with that "vision", then it may not just work for the better of the team, but for the player as well. That's a win-win.

 

[hawkeyeguy69]

I wasn't nearly as high on Connor as most on here. I expected much more from a 2nd year player ranked as high as he was... However, if his shot finally falls, that'll totally change his game. AND the spacing for the entire team. Big time!

Nobody had to defended him tightly. Rarely anyhow. That did allow him easier passing. Which made his passing look better than it was.
I do think he is a decent passer. However, it is a lot easier tossing the ball when nobody is in your face....
Worse tho, it allowed much better defense for the opponent. Very few seem to be mentioning this. Not sure how. It was quite obvious....

That noted, I am hopeful that CMac finds that outside shot in his 3rd year!! It would be huge for the Hawks.

I predict CMac starts at the one he got a lot of experience is a way better shooter than he showed in his first year as his focus was setting up Weezy, JoBo,IM.......and the post players. He can easily get 8-10 a night.

 

[Franisdaman]

PMac won't have the needed weight. Fran all but said that he wouldn't. And we don't need him. We NEED GUARDS. And that was before JBo...

Sad situation here for us Hawks. Although Fran has been aware of this. So, Hopefully he has a couple of transfers on the line reeling them in! Fingers crossed.

who's gonna back up Weezy if PMac doesn't?

Can you imagine if Weezy would have stayed in the NBA Draft? LOL

Yeah, we need a PG AND a shooting guard right now

 

[unoHawkeye]

I wasn't nearly as high on Connor as most on here. I expected much more from a 2nd year player ranked as high as he was... However, if his shot finally falls, that'll totally change his game. AND the spacing for the entire team. Big time!

If people here have been high on Connor, then I’d hate to see what it would look like if they were down on him

 

[David1979]

Will Iowa have the most unathletic team in the Big Ten next year?